NYC Lawmakers Call For A Reduction In Plastic Bag Use

Council members introduce legislation that would put charge on plastic bags.

Plastic bags could start costing New Yorkers. A new New York City Council bill announced Tuesday would put a ten-cent charge on plastic or paper bags provided at grocery and retail stores across the city.

The proposed charge would not be a tax. Stores would be able to keep the money to cover the cost of the bags.

Councilwoman Margaret Chin said plastic bags are clogging city streets, waterfronts and public parks.

She also said they're expensive to cleanup, "We spend $10 million each year to transport these plastic bags to landfills in other states. This is money we could put back in our daycare, after school, and senior programs."

The councilmembers say similar laws in other cities have reduced plastic bag use by as much as 90 percent.